


How These Days Go

by extemporaneous



Series: What Happens Next [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Comfort/Angst, Established Relationship, F/M, Fallen Castiel, Falling In Love, Fluff, Hair Braiding, Healing, Holidays, Light Angst, M/M, Mechanic Dean, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Scars, Sweaters, braiding sam's hair, each one's different, falling, i'm writing each one seperatley, rain kiss, so i'll add tags as i go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-08
Updated: 2013-10-08
Packaged: 2017-12-28 19:49:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/995842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/extemporaneous/pseuds/extemporaneous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>These are gonna be little separate stories. Some of them are Sam and Jess, some Cas and Dean. I realize Jess would probably be dead, but for the sake of this, let's say she's not okay?<br/>They're gonna have any of the above ships and, Hurt Comfort Angst, Fluff, Smut, so yeah. Also, each one starts out with a bit of before uwu<br/>I think that's it. Hope you enjoy.<br/>These'll be updated at least once every week.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Puddles (C&D)

_“Dean, who am I now?” Cas gripped Dean’s sleeves tight, like he was still falling, hands shaking. A little of the blood from his back smeared onto his trembling fingers._

_He smiled, the freckles on his face getting brighter as his eyes did. The crows feet at the corner of them deep with years of wear, and the black feathers of Cas’ disappearing wings clinging to his jacket._

_“I dunno, Cas. That’s what this all is. You’re here to find out.” Cas gulped, the tears drying racetracks on his cheeks, the corners of his soft pink lips turning up, and pressed his forehead to Dean’s. “Don’t worry, I’ll be there with you every step of the way.”  
_

 

Cas stepped out into the rain, the cold droplets beating down onto his pale face. The sky was as grey as his sweater, and it relaxed him. He could feel Dean’s hand in his, warm. He was still standing under the bus stop, slightly reluctant. Glancing back, he saw he was frowning, looking down at the umbrella. 

“Dean.” Cas said, tugging his hand. “I know you want the impala, but Sam has it and it’s raining. I’ve never gotten to be in the rain as Me yet. Let’s go.”

Dean looked up, meeting his angel’s eyes and returning the grin. “Then we better run, huh?” When that was returned with Castiel’s nodding, he dropped the umbrella he stole from the art museum and sprinted, letting out a whoop, kicking his heels and ducking his head in. Cas picked up his own feet, which in the thin canvas of the black converse were already starting to be soaked and ran, his grip on Dean tight. Cars whizzed past, the tires splashing and tearing through the building pools of rainwater, spraying them uselessly. There was a grin on Cas' face and he could never dream of erasing it.

The rain began to pour, Cas had to blink to see clearly, but Dean kept running, laughing. Cas’ heart thumped. Maybe it was how fast they were running, how Dean didn’t stop for breath. Or maybe it was how Dean’s hand always fit with his, how everytime he looked at Cas, his eyes got a little happier. 

The bus stop was long behind them, but Dean didn’t stop until he reached a small overhanging awning from the restaurant and pulled Cas under it. From where they were standing Cas had to look up a little bit. Dean’s face was red, and water dripped off his slightly stubbled chin. Under the shadow, the leaf green of his eyes turned to pine, but that didn’t stop the smile from reaching his eyes. 

Cas thought back to before. When he was an angel. When everything hurt. Dean had the same look in his eyes then. That was when it seemed impossible. 

Falling was supposed to be the end of Cas.

Cas let out a mused laugh. 

“What?” Dean said, voice cracking a little. 

“Nothing.” Cas said, grabbing his neck and shirt collar, and pulling Dean even closer. “I’m just glad I’ve got you.” And then he kissed him. He kissed Dean, there under the awning of a small pizza shop, in the rain. It seemed impossible, every moment did, but they were real. Dean ran his hand behind Cas’ neck, fingers tangling in Cas’ wet, messy, black hair. He felt the warmth of his skin, and the perfect bridge of Cas’ nose. 

He breathed into Cas’ mouth, inhaling deeply, closing his eyes and holding on tight, even though he didn’t need to anymore. “I’m glad I’ve got you too, Cas.”


	2. Braiding (S&J)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *see chapter one for summary/notes

_He stumbled into the room, appearing for the first time in weeks maybe months, dirty and ragged. Sam stood there in the doorway like he was too afraid to come any closer. Jess put down her book, hands shaking. “Sam?”_

_When he looked up, she felt a gasp escape her throat, which was closing fast. He was a mess. He looked dead. “Sam. Oh my God.” She ran towards him as his legs gave out, catching him in her arms. The eased to the floor. Kissing his hair, pulling him closer, she let the tears trickle from her eyes. His arms closed around her weakly, and he let out a ragged sob._

_“I’m...” Sam choked out, but it was barely a whisper._

_“Shh, shh. It’s okay. It’s okay. I’m here.” Jess held him closer and tighter than ever before. You’re safe._

 

“Ow!” He squinted his eyes, which were watering in mild pain. 

Jess smacked Sam on his head, and grinned. “Stop moving.” Sam liked the way she wrapped her legs tighter around his waist. He sat on the floor, she on the sofa, her hands tangled in the mop that was his hair.

He sighed as the CD went to yet another buzzy dance beat, with a pitched voice singing new repetitive lyrics. “Ke$ha? Really?”

Smacking him again, she resorted to her own hair brush. She stuck it in the brown mane and started, in a jerking motion, to work through the knots. “Heck yeah! Ke$ha’s the shit..." The knots just kept coming, albeit smaller as she worked her way down from his part. "Dude, do you ever like, have you ever heard of self grooming?” 

Sam lifted up his arm, waving his other hand in front of it, cringing at each yank of the brush. “Obviously, otherwise you could have probably just died.” Jess felt a smile tug her lips, Sam was putting on weight finally, there was something other than skin on his arm. Seeing him happy and healthy was all she ever wanted for him. For everything to be like years ago when they first met.

She looked at the burns on her shoulders that may never go away and shuddered, remembering the grim lesson she learned about what was out there. If she felt for it, under her shirt was a scar that ran across her belly left from that day Sam had saved her, from the fire. He pulled her off the ceiling, receiving his own burns, and put her in the hospital, thinking for sure he’d never see her again. 

But she had been there when he called, coming down from a demon blood high. Jess had waited all this time. Her and her beautiful blonde hair, her bright smile. And he could never be more grateful for that.

“There!” She said, setting the brush down onto the crowded coffee table. “Done. Now we can braid it.” Sam sighed, letting go of his last shred of dignity.

“If you tell Dean and Cas I’ll have to tickle you.” He huffed, as angry as he could make it sound. 

“Oh God no, you only know what tickling leads to.” Jess replied, just as theatrical. Carefully, she took three sections of Sam’s ridiculously overgrown hair and and folded them over each other. 

Sam’s stomach fluttered as she slid a free hand down to chest under his shirt. Her skin was kinda cold but it was nice. “After this can I braid your hair?” 

Jess laughed, like sparrows singing. “Do you even know how?” She asked, moving her hands skillfully to create parallel braids hanging on either side of his face. 

“You could teach me.” Sam put his hand on her arm, and wrapped it around him so he could kiss the side of her soft, blushing face. Jess giggled, humming along to music that was going to kill the small speakers. 

“Hm...Maybe I will. How about after I take a shower?” She said, finishing the last of six braids and patting him on the head. “There, done.”

Sam put his hand to his head and muttered something about being a girl, when he stood up. Jess’ legs still around his waist, she looped her arms around his chest, grinning. Her blonde curls tickled his cheek and with a smile, he looked at her. “How about we take that shower now?”

“Yeah, the braids can wait.”

**Author's Note:**

> "Me" is Cas referring to his new self, which he does not ever want to confuse with his old.  
> Parings will be specified at the top!  
> * I don't have a beta for this so tell me if I have any blaring mistakes.


End file.
